Popular track waits for top SBK ridersConsidering it was built in a period where slow-paced geometric circuits were the norm, the layout at Brno still relies on natural topography for much of its character, and that fact makes it one of the most eagerly awaited venues for

all SBK riders.

This will be the 5.394km circuit's fifth year hosting SBK races, with two events in the nineties now added to by the 2005 and 2006 meetings. Each modern era race has been won by riders still fully active in the 2007 championship chase, making the 2007 races even more of a tantalising prospect for all.

Brno is the perfect place to get competitive action back on the agenda, after two recent test sessions - one here at Brno for the top tyre development teams only, and then a more recent outing to new track of Vallelunga for all the SBK and WSS teams who wished to attend.

James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) may have looked like a clear championship bet after four or five rounds, but as we approach round nine, his rivals are massing on the borders of his reduced 21-point championship lead. Twenty-one may be an ominous number all round, as it is the race number of his new number one threat, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) who currently leads Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) by five points. Between the top three there have been 13 victories in 15 attempts (after one cancelled race at Silverstone robbed us all of the scheduled 16th).

In fourth place, some 43 points behind Toseland, Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) has frequently found himself in a new situation this season, but at Brno at least he not only has previous knowledge from many years of GP racing and winning in the Czech Republic, but he also relies on recent experience on his 2007 GSX-R1000. A recent top team's tyre development test gave Biaggi valuable track time, and the previous GSX-R has won three of the last four SBK races outright. Two of those victories came for Biaggi's team-mate, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) who was unstoppable in race trim in 2006, winning both races easily.

Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) is currently fifth overall in the championship chase, some 78 points from leader Toseland, and looking for his first 2007 win. The third most successful SBK race winner ever, Corser has scored 33 race wins and 111 podiums in his glittering career, and has previous experience of being a Brno race winner, during his second championship winning season in 2005.

Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) is an SBK race winner of yore but his more immediate task this year is to hold off the attentions of the only rider outside the top four to have won a race in 2007, Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati). Lanzi is sixth and with Xaus only three points behind, he will have to make good friends with Brno again early in the race weekend to keep his nose in front of the potent privateer rider.

Roby Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) has had some difficult periods since his move to the official Honda team but the flashes of excellence he undoubtedly has may well find Brno a great conductor this weekend. It is a circuit ex-GP rider Rolfo knows very well, as he fights to hold onto his top ten status. For the privateer wŁnderkid Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) Rolfo is an immediate target, and only nine points ahead.

A good recent test for Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) needs to be translated into strong results in each Brno race, to allow the talented Kawasaki twins to scale the heights of the top ten before the season concludes. Laconi is currently 11th, 13 points behind Kagayama's Suzuki, with Nieto 14th, 26 points from his team-mate. Splitting the Kawasakis in the championship table right now are two very different riders, on very different machines. In 12th place, Michel Fabrizio was a double Brno podium force in 2006, aboard last year's DFX Corse Honda, with Jakub Smrz only six points behind him currently, riding to his relatively venerable Caracchi Ducati SC 999.

Josh Brookes is out of the SBK limelight now and very firmly in the forefront of the Supersport stars, with his old Alto Evolution team-mate Karl Muggeridge staying put to see out the season in the Superbike class. Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha YZF Team), Luca Morelli (DFX Honda Corse), Alessandro Polita (Celani Suzuki) and Dean Ellison are also privateer riders to watch, while a bit of local flavour comes from wild card rider, Milos Cihak (Prorace Suzuki GSX-R1000).

WORLD SUPERSPORT - SOFUOGLU THE PERENNIAL TARGETKenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) has been a fixture at the top of the championship table this year, and his recently extended gap of 61 points over Fabien Foret (GIL Kawasaki) is a formidable step to make up with only five rounds left. The endlessly dramatic season in WSS continues apace, with Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda) in third, and with big name riders both leaving and joining the series since the last competitive round at Misano in June.

Robbin Harms (Stiggy Motorsports Honda) is now joined by proven WSS race winner Joshua Brookes, while double WSS race winner Anthony West has now chosen to race in another class entirely.